Improvement in corn-shellers



UNITED STATES ASAHEL H. PATCH, OF HAMILTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-SHELLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,217, dated April 2, 1872.

Specification describing a new and Improved Corn-Sheller, invented by AsAHEL H. PATCH, of Hamilton, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts.

The invention will first be fully described and then clearly pointed out in the claim.

Figure l is a side elevation of the toothed disk and one part of the case. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the roller, spring, and the other side ofthe case. Fig. Sis a horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the complete machine in working position.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A and B represent two pan-shaped castings, forming the case by being put together top to top, and secured by bolts through ears O, inclosing a space, D, for containing the disk and roller. One part is provided with lugs a and the other with projections b fitting between said lugs and overlapping the edge ofthe other part between said lugs in such manner as to cause the edges of the two parts to bolt together exactly and confine them against moving laterally on each other, and to cause the bolt-holes of the ears C to coincide exactly. The part A is provided with the arms D, for bolting to any suitable support, E, and the other has the vertical concave guide F, for the corn, opening at the top for feeding in the corn. G is the toothed disk, having a shaft, H, cast upon it, and fitted in a central bearing, I, in each partof the case, passing through A, and projecting sufficiently to receive the crank-shaft K. It works close to thc inside of part A of the case, and has the shellingteeth d,- also the cog-teeth e on the inside. L is the conical-toothed or fluted roller, mounted on the vertical or nearly vertical shaft M, which is arranged in front of the toothed face of said disk, so that the lower end of the roller stands about as low as the lower edge of the disk, and its side just clears the ends of the teeth, while the upper end of said shaft supports the pinion N above the axis of said disk, and so as to gear with the cog-rim e thereat in such manner that the adjacent surfaces of the disk and roller move in opposite directions. The diameters of the cogrim e and the pinion N are such that the toothed part of the disk has a greater surface speed than the roller, particularly at the lower parts; so that besides the rolling motion of the cornear in unison with the surfaces of these two instruments, there is an overrunning action of one'or the other against the ears, well calculated to strip the grains off from-the cobs, and so that the disk moving toward the roller will always keep the ears in contact with said roller, the said ears being presented Vto them in the approximately triangular space between them and-the spring O, which is attached to the part B at the top of the guide-groove F, and provided with a temper-screw, P, for adjusting it to large or small ears. Said spring presses the ears against the two shelling instruments with the requisite force to insure their action. The shaft M is supported in the bracket-bearings Q, which are cast and cored for the holes for the shaft; also for the slotted bolt-holes S, by which they are adjustably secured to the case, and the part B of the case has ribs formed on it to seat the brackets properly and prevent them from turning on the bolts by which they are secured. T is a guard projecting from part B of the case at one side of the guide-groove, to prevent the ears from striking on the top ofthe roller as they go down to the shelling-surfaces. The holes through the case for the bearings of the shaft H, and all the bolt-holes except the one for fastening the spring, are cored out in casting, and those may also be, if preferred, so that the putting of the parts together is done without the expense of any machine fitting. The disk G is Yturned so that the lower part, as seen looking at Fig. 4, moves toward the roller. The latter, together with the guide and spring, may be on the other side of the shaft H and have the disk turn in the opposite direction; or they may be the same and have the disk turn in the same direction as in the arrangement here shown; but in this case the disk would not have the same tendency to force the ear downward, and it would be necessary to have the flutes of the roller made spiral to facilitate the downward movement. I may also dispense with the extension of the shaft H beyond the disk, on the inside, by providing a suitablelong bearing on the outside to support the disk by one bearing only, and then arrange the shaft M and roller in the plane of the vertical diameter of the disk; but I do not confine myself to any one of these several modifications of the relative arrangements of the said shelling instruments; also the guide and springs; and I may provide other means of guiding the corn and pressing it against the said shelling instruments.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as newrand desire to secure by Letters Pat,- ent- 1. In combination with the toothed disk G and ribbed or luted roller L, the guard T and spring O, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the gua-rd T with the roller L, substantially as specied.

ASAHEL H. PATCH.

Witnesses:

T. B. MOSHER, GEO. W. MABEE. 

